The best tags for Etsy are ones that increase your shop’s visibility and drive more traffic to your listings. Because standing out in a crowded marketplace can be difficult—but with the right Etsy tags, you can appear in relevant search results, connect with potential buyers, and ultimately drive sales. In this guide, we’ll explore the importance of tags, how to choose them, and strategies to optimize your listings for maximum exposure.
Finding the Best Etsy Tags for Your Products
Tags play a vital role in helping Etsy understand the content of your listings. By including relevant and specific Etsy tags, you can improve your search ranking and reach more potential buyers.
Key Takeaways
- 💯 The best Etsy tags boost visibility and drive traffic by helping products appear in relevant search results.
- 📢 Tags are vital for optimizing Etsy SEO, making products discoverable and enhancing overall shop performance.
- 📊 Good tags are relevant, specific, have high search and engagement volumes, and face low competition.
- 🍊 Use keyword tools like Marmalead to find high-traffic keywords, analyze their performance, and get recommendations for optimization.
- 📈 Monitor Etsy shop stats to understand which tags drive traffic and sales.
- 🔧 Keep adapting tags based on seasonal trends, market changes, and performance metrics.
Table of Contents
- What Are Etsy Tags?
- Why Etsy Tags Matter
- What Makes an Etsy Tag Good or Bad?
- Understanding Etsy’s Search Algorithm
- How to Find the Best Etsy Tags
- Using Marmalead to Find the Best Etsy Tags
- Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Etsy Tags
- Example Etsy Tags for Popular Product Categories
What Are Etsy Tags?
Etsy tags are keywords or phrases that sellers use to describe their products. These tags help categorize and identify products in Etsy’s search engine, making it easier for buyers to find items that match their search queries. When a potential customer types into Etsy’s search bar, the platform’s algorithm scans product listings for relevant tags to deliver search results.
Why Etsy Tags Matter
Tags are crucial for Etsy SEO because they help categorize your products and make them discoverable to shoppers searching for specific items.
Effective tags can:
- Increase your listings’ visibility in Etsy search results.
- Attract more relevant traffic to your shop.
- Improve your shop’s overall SEO and performance.
What Makes an Etsy Tag Good or Bad?
Good Etsy tags are relvant, specific, and have high search and engagement. A good tag accurately describes the product and matches what buyers are searching for, using specific and targeted terms that reflect a buyer’s search intent.
On the other hand, bad Etsy tags can ruin your shop’s performance. A bad tag might be irrelevant, not accurately reflect the product, or it might be too generic, like “gift,” which is highly competitive and less effective in targeting specific buyer needs.
Characteristics of a Good Etsy Tag:
- Relevance: Accurately describes your product.
- Specificity: Attracts targeted traffic (e.g., “handmade silver necklace”).
- Search & Engagement: Has high search and engagement volume.
- Low Competition: Easier to rank for.
Characteristics of a Bad Etsy Tag:
- Irrelevance: Misleads shoppers and harms SEO.
- Generic Terms: Highly competitive and less effective (e.g., “gift”).
- Misspellings: Prevents listings from appearing in relevant searches.
- Overstuffing: Using too many generic tags that don’t add value.
Understanding Etsy’s Search Algorithm
Etsy’s search algorithm ultimately determines where your listing get placed in search results. It’s important you understand how it works so you can use the best Etsy tags that are relevant to your listings and bring engaged shoppers.
How Etsy Search Works
Etsy’s search algorithm works in two ways: relevancy search and relationship search. “Relevancy” looks for listings that are the closest match to what a shopper types into Etsy search. This is where your Etsy tags come into play.
While “relationship” looks at each individual shopper’s search and engagement history.
Additionally, listings are ranked in Etsy search by a number of factors that are determined behind the scenes. These factors include past customer experience, shipping price, listing quality score, and more.
Understanding how Etsy’s algorithm works is key to optimizing your tags for better search results. Listings are ranked in Etsy search based on:
Listing Relevance
Etsy prioritizes listings that are most relevant to a buyer’s search. Listings with tags, titles, descriptions, categories, and attributes that match a shopper’s query are considered more relevant and rank higher in search results.
Listing Quality Score
Etsy evaluates how well a listing converts views into purchases to determine its quality score. Higher conversion rates, good photos, descriptions, and reviews all improve the listing’s quality score and search placement.
Customer Experience
Factors like positive reviews, strong customer service, complete shop policies, and an About section positively impact search ranking. Issues like intellectual property infringements can lower this score.
Recency
New listings receive a temporary boost in search results to gather data on buyer interaction. Renewed listings get a smaller boost. Regularly creating new listings or renewing items for this boost is less effective than focusing on tag optimization and conversion rates.
Shipping Price
Listings with free shipping to the US or a US free shipping guarantee get priority in US search placements. Lower shipping costs can also improve search ranking.
Shopper Habits
Etsy customizes search results based on individual shopper behavior and preferences using Etsy’s “context-specific ranking” technology. The goal is to show items in search that buyers are most likely to purchase.
How to Find the Best Etsy Tags
Etsy tags are keywords or phrases that sellers use to describe their products. These tags help categorize and identify products in Etsy’s search engine, making it easier for buyers to find items that match their search queries. Tags are essential for improving your product’s visibility in search results, increasing traffic, and boosting sales.
→Related: Why Good Etsy Keywords Should Be Your First Focus
Using Etsy Search Bar to Find Etsy Tags
This is one of the first ways many sellers look for Etsy tags. Start typing a keyword related to your product, and Etsy will provide autocomplete suggestions based on popular searches. However, these suggestions aren’t always reliable since Etsy doesn’t provide any data insights behind these search queries.
While the Etsy search bar offers insights into popular search terms, it shouldn’t be your only source for finding effective tags. Here’s why:
- Limited Data Insights: The search bar doesn’t provide comprehensive data on search volume, competition, or trends.
- Lack of Specificity: Autocomplete suggestions are often broad and may not capture niche or long tail keywords.
- No Performance Metrics: It doesn’t offer insights into how well specific tags perform over time.
- Inconsistent Suggestions: Suggestions can change frequently and might not always reflect the most effective tags.
- Missed Trends: It doesn’t highlight trending or seasonal keywords effectively.
Stealing Competitor’s Etsy Tags
Some sellers look at similar listings from top sellers in their product category to find Etsy tags. This may give you insights into which tags they’re using, but it doesn’t usually paint the whole picture. Since there are many outside influences that affect search results, you shouldn’t rely on your competitor’s tags to boost your own listings.
While it’s good to know which tags your competitors are using, stealing your competitor’s tags isn’t an effective strategy for finding good Etsy keywords for several reasons:
- Irrelevance to Your Products: Tags that work for a competitor may not be relevant to your products, potentially misleading customers and leading to poor reviews.
- Missed Opportunities for Targeted Traffic: Relying solely on competitor tags can cause you to miss out on niche keywords that might attract more targeted and profitable traffic.
- Algorithmic Penalties: Using irrelevant or misleading tags because they are popular among competitors might result in lower engagement or conversion rates, negatively impacting your listing’s visibility.
- Incomplete Strategy: Focusing only on competitor tags may lead you to neglect other crucial aspects of your SEO and marketing strategy.
Find Trending Etsy Tags
You could check out the Etsy Trends page to see what’s currently popular on the marketplace. This page highlights trending searches and seasonal categories, which savvy sellers can use to come up with new Etsy tags as they emerge.
This is a good way to stay updated with what buyers are looking for right now and the types of products Etsy is pushing to their customers.
- Regularly Visit the Etsy Trends Page: Make it a routine to check the Etsy Trends page frequently to stay updated with the latest popular searches and seasonal categories.
- Identify Emerging Tags: Look for new product ideas and categories to extract upcoming tags that align with your product offerings. These tags can help position your listings to attract more views and sales.
- Adjust Listings Accordingly: Update your existing listings with trending tags to make them more relevant and appealing to current buyer interests.
- Analyze Seasonal Trends: Pay special attention to seasonal categories. Incorporate these tags into your listings during appropriate times of the year to capture seasonal traffic.
- Monitor Product Promotions: Observe which types of products Etsy is actively promoting. Consider how you can align your products or create new ones that fit these trends.
- Track Performance Changes: After updating tags based on trends, monitor the performance of your listings. Look for increases in views and sales to determine the effectiveness of the changes.
- Use an Etsy Keyword Tool: Run these trending tags through an Etsy keyword tool like Marmalead to learn more insights into how this tag might perform for your listing, as well as other details related to the overall product market.
Using Keyword Research Tools to Find the Best Etsy Tags
Use keyword research tools like Marmalead to find high-traffic keywords related to your products. This Etsy SEO tool provides search volume and competition data, helping you choose the most effective tags. Here’s how you can effectively utilize an Etsy keyword tool to enhance your Etsy SEO strategy:
- Enhanced Keyword Discovery: Marmalead provides a broader range of keyword suggestions than you might come up with on your own. It often reveals less obvious, niche keywords or long tail phrases that could attract a more targeted audience to your listings.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Keyword tools offer critical data such as search volume, competition levels, and keyword effectiveness. This information allows sellers to make informed decisions about which tags will most likely drive traffic and conversions.
- Optimization for Visibility: Properly selected keywords improve your listings’ SEO, making them more likely to appear in relevant searches. This increased visibility is essential for driving both traffic and sales.
- Time Efficiency: Manual keyword research can be time-consuming and less effective. Etsy keyword tools like Marmalead streamline the process, saving time while providing better results and allowing sellers to focus more on other aspects of their business.
Using Marmalead to Find the Best Etsy Tags
Marmalead is a powerful Etsy keyword tool designed specifically for sellers to optimize their listings with the best tags and keywords. Here’s how you can use Marmalead to find the best Etsy tags:
Finding the Best Etsy Keywords
Search for Keywords: Start by entering a basic keyword related to your product into Marmalead. The tool will provide a range of related keywords, showing how they perform in terms of search volume, engagement, and competition.
Evaluate Keywords: Look for keywords that have a good balance of high search volume and engagement with lower competition. These are potential tags that could improve the visibility of your listings.
Analyze Keyword Details
Seasonality: Marmalead shows the seasonality of keywords, helping you understand which tags are popular during different times of the year. This can be particularly useful for planning seasonal products or promotions.
Trend Tracking: The tool tracks trends over time, allowing you to see whether a keyword is gaining or losing popularity. This helps you stay ahead of market trends and update your tags accordingly.
Compare Keywords
Side-by-Side Comparison: Marmalead allows you to compare multiple keywords side by side. This feature helps you assess which keywords might bring more traffic to your listings based on their overall performance metrics.
Keyword Lists: You can create lists of potential tags and compare their performance metrics in a consolidated view, making it easier to decide which tags to use.
Use Marmalead’s Storm Feature
Brainstorming Tool: Marmalead’s Storm tool is a brainstorming feature that helps generate tag ideas based on initial keywords you provide. It offers a visual map of related keywords, which can inspire new tagging ideas or help you think outside the box.
Track and Optimize
Tracking Performance: Once you have chosen and applied tags to your listings, Marmalead can help you track how these tags are expected to perform in terms of driving traffic and sales.
Ongoing Optimization: Based on Etsy’s best-practices, Marmalead provides recommendations for optimizing your tags. This can involve replacing underperforming tags with more effective ones or tweaking tags to better match potential buyer searches.
Competitor Analysis
Scout Competitors: Marmalead offers tools to analyze your competitors’ tags. This can give you insights into what is working for similar products in your niche, and help you identify gaps in your own tagging strategy.
Educational Resources
Learning and Support: Marmalead also provides educational resources, including articles (like this one!), videos, and webinars, which can help you better understand SEO practices and the nuances of effective tagging on Etsy.
By leveraging Marmalead’s comprehensive SEO features, you can effectively discover, analyze, and optimize your Etsy tags to enhance your shop’s visibility, attract more buyers, and increase your sales.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Etsy Tags
Evaluating the effectiveness of Etsy tags is crucial for sellers aiming to optimize their listings and enhance visibility. Here’s how Etsy sellers can assess the impact of their tags to ensure they are driving traffic and sales effectively:
Utilize Etsy Shop Stats
Etsy provides built-in analytics that allows sellers to track various metrics, including traffic sources and engagement statistics.
- Traffic Analysis: Check which tags are bringing the most viewers to your listings. High-performing tags often lead to higher traffic.
- Conversion Rate: Determine which tags are not only attracting visitors but also converting them into buyers. A tag that brings a lot of traffic but few sales may not be as effective as one that brings fewer, more targeted visitors.
Monitor Search Ranking Changes
Ranking Performance: Regularly check where your listings rank in search results for specific tags. Improvements in ranking often indicate that a tag is effective.
Keyword Tools: Use Etsy keywords tools like Marmalead to see how your tags rank against competition and track changes over time.
Check Engagement Metrics
- Favorites and Shares: Tags that lead to higher engagement, such as more clicks, favorites, or add-to carts, can be considered effective as they increase the likelihood of sales.
- Feedback and Reviews: Pay attention to customer feedback and reviews. Customers might mention specific features or keywords that helped them decide to purchase your product.
Review Seasonal and Trend Performance
- Seasonal Fluctuations: Evaluate how tags perform during different seasons or holidays. Certain tags may only be effective during specific times of the year.
- Trend Adaptation: Monitor trending tags and their impact on your sales. Quick adaptation to trending tags can provide a temporary boost in traffic and sales.
Analyze Competitor Tag Performance
- Competitor Analysis: Observe competitors’ tag strategies, especially those with high-performing listings. While directly copying tags is not recommended, understanding competitors’ strategies can provide insights into what might work for your products.
- Market Gaps: Look for tags that are underutilized by competitors but still attract a significant audience.
By continuously monitoring these metrics and adapting their strategy accordingly, Etsy sellers can effectively use tags to improve their shop’s SEO, attract more relevant traffic, and ultimately increase sales.
→Related: Etsy Sales Slow? Start Doing These 10 Things
Example Etsy Tags for Popular Product Categories
Using the best Etsy tags for your products can significantly enhance its visibility and appeal to potential buyers. Here are some examples of effective Etsy tags for some of Etsy’s most popular product categories:
Handmade Jewelry
- “custom name necklace”
- “birthstone rings”
- “handcrafted silver earrings”
- “boho chic bracelet”
- “vintage jewelry set”
Wedding Items
- “personalized wedding invitations”
- “rustic wedding decor”
- “bridal party gifts”
- “custom wedding favors”
- “beach wedding accessories”
Home Decor
- “handmade ceramic vases”
- “abstract wall art”
- “custom throw pillows”
- “bohemian rugs”
- “personalized family signs”
Clothing
- “vintage dress”
- “custom t-shirts”
- “handmade wool scarf”
- “graphic socks”
- “boho summer top”
Art and Collectibles
- “original oil paintings”
- “limited edition prints”
- “handcrafted sculptures”
- “vintage comics”
- “movie memorabilia”
Craft Supplies and Tools
- “merino wool yarn”
- “jewelry making kit”
- “scrapbooking stickers”
- “sewing patterns”
- “beading supplies”
Toys and Games
- “handmade wooden toys”
- “custom puzzle”
- “educational games for kids”
- “dollhouse miniatures”
- “role-playing game accessories”
Beauty and Personal Care
- “organic skincare”
- “handmade soap”
- “vegan lip balm”
- “aromatherapy essential oils”
- “natural hair care products”
Health and Wellness
- “yoga mats”
- “meditation beads”
- “herbal supplements”
- “personalized fitness gear”
- “holistic health remedies”
Digital Products
- “printable planners”
- “digital art prints”
- “wedding invitation templates”
- “educational PDFs”
- “resume templates”
When selecting tags for your Etsy products, consider using specific and descriptive tags that accurately reflect your products’ unique attributes. Also, it’s beneficial to use a mix of broad and long tail tags to attract both general and specific audiences. Tailoring your Etsy tags based on current trends and seasonality can also help boost your products’ visibility and appeal.
Over to you
Optimizing your listings with the best Etsy tags is crucial for improving your shop’s visibility and driving sales. By using the right tools and strategies and continuously evaluating your tags’ performance, you can stay ahead in the competitive Etsy marketplace.
Remember, the key to success when it comes to choosing Etsy tags is relevance, specificity, and ongoing optimization. Have any questions? Drop them down in the comments below!
And as always, happy selling!
